Flag holding and stretching device.



e. w. BLANK.- FLAG HOLDING AND STRETGHING DEVICE. APPLIUATIOH FILED JULY 8, 1910'.

Patented Feb.21, 1911.

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GEORGE W. BLANK, 0F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLAG HOLDING AND STRETCI-IING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 8, 1910.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911. Serial No. 571,004.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WV. BLANK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at WVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flag Holding and Stretching Devices of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a flag holding and stretching device, and the invention has for its object to provideafiag pole, staff, or stick with simple and effective means for retaining the flag attached thereto in an eX- tended position whereby the stars and stripes, mottoes, coat-of-arms, or society and club insignias can be easily observed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flag pole, staff, or stick with means for preventing the flag attached thereto from wrapping around the pole, staff, or stick, and from whipping and being torn by the wind.

A further object of the invention is to provide means as will be hereinafter set forth for stretching and spreading a flag without injuring the same, the means employed being easily attached to a pole, staff, or stick and the flag attached thereto.

With these and such other objects in view as may hereinafter appear the invention consists of the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawing forming a part of this specification, wherein there are illustrated the preferred embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that the structural elements thereof can be varied or changed, as to thersize, shape, and manner of assemblage without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device as applied to a stick and flag. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the inner end of the device. Fig. 4 shows three modified forms of the outer end of the device. Fig. 5 is a plan of a modified form of device. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a portion of the same. Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the modified form of device. Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevation of the same. Fig. 9 is a plan of still another modified form of device. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 11 is a plan of a further modified form of device. Fig. 12 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 13 is a plan of still another modified form of device partly broken away and partly in section. Fig. 14 is a sectional view of a still further modified form of the device, and Fig. 15 is an elevation of a modified form of supporting rod.

The preferred form of device, shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, compr-eses a band 1 having one end thereof reduced and apertured, as at 2, while the opposite end thereof is reduced and bent outwardly to form a lug 3 in parallelism with the end 2 of the band. The end 2 and the lug 3 are disposed tangentially relatively to the longitudinal axis of the band 1 and the lug 3 is apertured, whereby a rivet or pivot pin t can be mounted in said lug and the endfZof the band. Movably mounted upon the pin or rivet 4 and frictionally held between the lug 3 and the end 2 of the band 1 is the enlarged apertured end 5 of a rod 6, said rod having the outer end thereof bent to form a hook 7.

The band 1 is fitted over the upper end of a pole, staff, or stick 8 to which is attached in the ordinary manner a flag 9. The outer upper edge 10 of the flag 9 is placed in the hook 7 and frictionally held thereby, whereby the flag will be retained in a stretched and extended position presenting to view the entire surface of the flag.

Modifications of the hook 7 are shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, one of the modifications being in the form of an eye, as at 11, and another modification having the end of the rod 6 split or bifurcated, as at 12, to provide arms 13, these arms being bent to provide confronting gripping members 14 for the upper edge of the flag 9.

It is preferable to use the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive for the small and cheap type of flags, and for better and expensive grades of flags it is preferable to use the form shown in Figs. 5 to 13 inclusive.

In Figs. 5 and 6 wherein the stafi 15 is provided with an ornamentation 16 at the upper end thereof it is preferable to secure the flag to the stafi 15 by screws or other fastening means 17 and clamping member, comprising a piece of material bent upon itself and curved, as at 18, to conform to the surface of the staff 15. Between the ends of the clamping member is arranged the flattened end 19 of a rod 20, and the fiattened end of said rod is adapted to be frictionally held betweenthe ends of the clamping member by a winged thumb screw 21 extending through the ends of the member and the flattened end 19 of the rod 20.

In Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings a member 22 is secured to the pole or staff 23 and this member is provided with a pivoted flat plate or arm 24 serving functionally the same purpose as the rods 6 and 20. The arm 24 is connected to the member 22 by a set screw 25 and connected to the arm 24 by a plurality of set screws 26 is a plate 27, said plate having the inner lower edges thereof provided with resilient buttons 28 adapted to engage the upper edge of a flag 29 and retain said in engagement with the arm 24. The set screws 25 and 26 do not pass through the upper edge of the flag 29 and as the buttons 28 are preferably made of rubber, the flag will not be injured. It is through the medium of the set screw 25 that the arm 24 is frictionally held in an extended position, and can be easily lowered by loosening said set screw.

A further modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings, this modification being somewhat similar to that shown in Figs. 9 and 10, with the exception that the arm 24 and the plate 27 have the inner ends thereof provided with extensions 30. An additional set screw 31 is adapted to pass through these extensions and engage in the member 22, this additional set screw positively retaining the arm and plate in extended position and relieving the stress and strain that would be otherwise exerted upon the set screw 25.

In Fig. 13 of the drawings another modification of the invention is shown, wherein the arm 24 is supported by the set screws 25 and 31 and the front side of said arm provided with buttons 32, these buttons being used in connection with clasps 33 carried by the upper edge of the flag 29. The buttons 32 and the clasps 33 are of a conventional form and similar to ordinary glove clasps, and it is in this connection that I reserve the right to use clamps and other devices for detachably connecting the upper edge of the flag to the arm 24.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the rods 6, 20, arms 24, and plates 27 constitute means for detachably holding the upper edge of the flag and that this can be accomplishecl without injuring the flag. It is preferable to use a non-corrosive metal throughout the construction of the device and to make it of various sizes for use in connection with various lengths of flags.

In Fig. 14 of the drawings the arm 27 is apertured, as at 34, to receive a tack 35 em- H ployed for holding the flag 29 in engagement with the arm. The pointed end of the tack is then provided with a button 36.

The rod 6 shown in Fig. 15 of the drawing has the inner end thereof bent down and pointed, as at 37, whereby it can be driven into the upper end of a stick or pole, this form being preferable in connection with small and cheap flags.

What I claim is 1. In a. flag holding and stretching device, a stick having a flag attached thereto, a member detachably mounted upon the upper end of said stick and independent of the attaching means for the flag, an arm detachably connected to the upper portion of the flag to maintain it extended and pivotally engaging with said member, and means carried by said member for holding said arm in a fixed position relatively to said member.

2. The combination with a stick having a flag attached thereto, of a member carried by the upper end of said stick, an arm pivotally connected to said member, a set screw carried by said member for locking said arm relatively to said member, and means for detachably connecting the upper edge of said flag to said arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE IV. BLANK. V

Witnesses:

KARL I-I. BUTLER, EVA A. MILNE. 

